September 2006 Issue 64

Report back on the Abbeyfield Park, Fir Vale and OneLove festivals.

The Black Community Forum was dissolved in July 2006 following financial difficulties.

The Council’s planning board has rejected an application to build flats at the top of Smithies Field on Grimesthorpe Road after objections from residents.

Angry Burngreave residents confronted council officers over the Skinnerthorpe Road demolition plans at July’s Area Panel meeting, claiming that their surveyor had been ignored by the Council and that they’ve been left in limbo awaiting a decision.

Rob Smith went along and attended the second meeting of the newly founded Sheffield Black Community Alliance (SBCA). The aim of the meeting was to discuss the way forward for the new organisation.

Deacon Dave Havard is planning to go to Palestine at the end of September as a peacemaker with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).

A Burngreave resident is on the road to her target of raising £1,500 for the breast cancer research charity Breakthrough.

Burngreave’s Youth Council is on the verge of becoming a reality, with young people already involved in the early stages of its establishment. The idea has been talked about for three years or more. Now October has been set as the month for elections to the Council.

A young black man, Jason, has told the Messenger, how he was violently arrested and humiliated by police on Spital Hill just after 2pm on 26th July.

Opened just last month by manager Rissam, Gold Fingers is a brand new hairdressing salon for men and women, just up the hill behind the Kashmir Curry House, on Spital Street.

Recently released figures reveal what a difference simple security measures can make to crime against local firms.

Rainbow House was host to young people from the townships of Cape Town in July, as they stopped off in Sheffield en route to an international camp for young people in Kent.

Firshill and Pitsmoor Local History Group are a small group from the Firshill estate, most of us born in the area, who got together to reminisce and chat about days gone by.

A letter with explicit racist content, addressed to ‘the occupier’ was recently received by John Duignan of Andreas Hairdressers on Pitsmoor Road. John was sickened by the letter and has no idea why it was sent to his shop.

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Jackie Drayton, placed the first petals on the central panel of the well dressing in Burngreave cemetery at the end of July, in the second year of the event

In July a sunny Petre Street hosted the first successful community organised world cup football event.

SADACCA Study Support started in the 199Os as there was a realisation within schools across Sheffield that children from African Caribbean backgrounds were not achieving and in many cases being excluded.

Collecting things seems to be human nature: lots of people collect interesting and quirky things which tell stories about their lives. Last summer I was introduced to a remarkable collection of badges, belonging to Betty Smalley, well-known volunteer and Burngreave activist. Over a period of fifteen years, Betty and her friends accumulated almost 25O badges, mostly bought at CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) marches. She came into the office last week to tell me the story behind her collection.

Thanks to the unstinting efforts of The Friends of Osgathorpe Park, the park (also known as Earl Marshal Recreation Ground) has been transformed into a superb site for the whole community to enjoy.

Thanks to the unstinting efforts of The Friends of Osgathorpe Park, the park (also known as Earl Marshal Recreation Ground) has been transformed into a superb site for the whole community to enjoy.

The sun shone on 17th June, for a glorious day of football and fun at St Catherine’s School. The Football Crazy tournament, in which five teams from Firs Hill school also took part, ran very smoothly and all players received a commemorative medal

Over 7OO residents have received £5OO home maintenance grants since the project started in 2OO4.

The recent vandalism of the Grimesthorpe allotments has caused devastation amongst its community.

Our Deliver It Green project has already made a big impact, clearing undergrowth and pruning trees to open up views

As reported in July’s Messenger the BNDfC Partnership agreed the New Deal programme should move away from prescribed themes to a set of priorities that best reflect the future challenges and opportunities facing the programme in Burngreave.

The last Burngreave Area Panel public meeting was held in Fir Vale at the end of July 2006 About 100 people turned up to hear the latest progress reports on the various housing related developments in both Fir Vale and Burngreave that have followed from last year’s Masterplan exercise.

Your letters to the Messenger. Write to: Abbeyfield Park House, Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield S4 7AT.